The Buccaneers are tied at the top of the NFC South.

The Falcons lost their third straight game earlier in the day and the Bucs earned a 26-23 overtime win against the Panthers. Both the Falcons and Bucs are 6-6, but Atlanta retains the tiebreaker thanks to its win over Tampa.

It was another blow for the Panthers, who lost 30-27 to the Chiefs last week on a field goal in their final game.

This time, Chase McLaughlin hit a 51-yard field goal on the final play of regulation with no time left to tie the game, and then the Bucs kicker won it with 2:50 left in overtime with a 30-yarder.

It was a back-and-forth affair as momentum shifted from sideline to sideline late in the fourth quarter and into overtime.

The Panthers took a 23-20 lead on Bryce Young’s 25-yard touchdown pass to Adam Thielen with 30 seconds left in the fourth quarter, but the Bucs gained 36 yards in six plays to set up McLaughlin’s tying pass.

Earlier, the Bucs had a chance to tie the game on third-and-1 at the Carolina 2 with 3:15 left, but Josie Jewell and Jaycee Horn stopped Rachaad White for a 6-yard loss. Tampa Bay settled for a 26-yard field goal from McLaughlin.

On kickoff to start overtime, Panthers cornerback Caleb Farley drew a 15-yard unnecessary roughness penalty after Jon Rhattigan stopped returner Sean Tucker at the Tampa Bay 19. Two plays later, Baker Mayfield found Jalen McMillan for 22 yards.

Trevin Wallace’s 8-yard sack of Mayfield boosted the Bucs enough that McLaughlin had to attempt a 55-yard field goal, and the ball went wide left with 6:31 left in overtime.

It gave the Panthers a chance to win with a field goal on their first drive of overtime.

Thielen made a spectacular one-handed catch with his left hand, giving the Tampa Bay 34 a 16-yard gain. However, on the next play, Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard ran 4 yards before Anthony Nelson picked off the ball. Yaya Diaby recovered for the Bucs at their own 29.

Five plays and 59 yards later, the Bucs had a hard-earned victory.

Bucky Irving, the Bucs’ rookie running back, had a career day, rushing for 152 yards and a touchdown on 25 carries. The Bucs finished the game with 236 rushing yards and 209 passing yards.

White had a 38-yard run to the Carolina 10 on the game-winning drive and finished the game with 76 yards on 11 carries.

Mayfield was 21 of 33 for 235 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. Both of his picks led to field goals for the Panthers on short drives of 49 and 16 yards. He left the game for two plays in the third quarter after Jadeveon Clowney accidentally stepped on the side of the quarterback’s foot.

Mike Evans caught eight passes for 118 yards and a touchdown.

Young completed 26 of 46 for 298 yards and a touchdown, while Thielen completed eight for 99 yards and a touchdown. He almost scored another touchdown, but the officials and replay ruled that he let the ball wobble after hitting the goal post after sliding out of bounds.

Panthers kicker Eddy Piñeiro, who entered the NFL as the most accurate kicker of all time, missed field goals of 38 and 45 wide left. He made kicks from 47, 27 and 22 as the Panthers went 1 of 4 in the red zone.